STATEWIDE — The director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention is stressing his confidence in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
During Tuesday’s CDC briefing, Dr. Nirav Shah said it performs well against the COVID-19 virus and some of the variants, which they know because of where and when it was tested.
“The best vaccine that you can take is the one that is closest to your arm,” Shah said. “If that happens to be a Pfizer or a Moderna product, great. If it happens to be the J & J product, great.”
Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew added that 35 Hannaford locations throughout the state and the Penobscot County Health Center will be getting doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on top of the state’s original allotment.
Between the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, Lambrew said Maine will get a total of 55,060 first or only doses this week, which is more than double the number that arrived two weeks ago.
Shah said they expect to see a drop in the amount of Johnson & Johnson vaccine the state receives while more is being produced.
